


The Worthless Frog

by Sdebnath



Category: Guild Hunter - Nalini Singh, Psy-Changeling - Nalini Singh
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:34:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23755444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sdebnath/pseuds/Sdebnath
Summary: Years before she met and fell in love with the Archangel of New York, Elena was just a 20 year old lost girl like any other. And she made the mistake of being in relationship with a guy who didn't value her. Now, at her guild friends Ransom and Nyree's baby shower she comes across the wicked worthless ex who once undermined her skills and self worth.
Relationships: Elena Deveraux/Raphael (Guild Hunter)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 92





	The Worthless Frog

Elena Deveraux, guild hunter, consort to the archangel of New York and world renown badass couldn’t pick a freaking gift for one of her closest friends. 

It was Nyree’s baby shower and Ransom had went all out. Usually people liked to keep it an intimate affair. But Ransom had a flair for over the top and his cute librarian wife went along with all his shenanigans. The entire guild was invited to this thing. Hell, Ransom had gone over a limb and even invited the few vampire friends he had in the Tower too. Dmitri, second to the Archangel of New York included. Although, he might have been considered a plus one to Honor. 

Elena mulled over the cute ‘Hunter Baby’ onesies and a toy crossbow with librarian glasses engraved on it. These two were her top picks. Both custom-made.  
“You are not being very useful Archangel! Help me choose.” She said with a pointed glare to Raphael’s back, who was busy looking over the squadron of angels doing sweeps over New York through the glass. It was criminal how good he looked against the silhouette of a bright New York day.

He turned and walked over to her. Taking her in his arms he glanced at the two choices.

“Both your choices are fit to be gifted for a new born Elena mine. Though, I pity the babe who doesn’t have a crossbow to practice with in his arsenal.”

She smiled up at him. “Toy Arsenal. And it’s a her. Ransom and Nyree are going to do the whole sex reveal for the baby later in the party but I have my sources.” Her smirk was all-knowing.

“So, you’re going for the Crossbow?” Raphael asked.

“Eh, I’ll take both.” She scrunched up her nose. “I wouldn’t be overthinking this if Dmitri and Honor were not gifting them with a top of the line Stroller! I know Honor means well, but I’m damn sure that wicked Vampire just boasted about the stroller to intimidate me into getting a less cool gift.”

Raphael chuckled under his breath and held her. “Your gift is cool as well. Your hunter friends will be gracious to receive it.” 

She nestled against his chest. “You are coming right? It’ll mean a lot to them if you came too.”

He broke their embrace. “Elena, I try… but you know I’m not part of that world of yours.”

She knew. Her Archangel did try. He showed up to that guild party for her. It had shocked most of the hunters and even rendered some awestruck but he had made an appearance for her. And he was right. He will never be an ingrained part of that world. It was just hers. 

“I know. Okay how about you just fly over their house? I’ll call it a cameo!” She laughed.

Raphael’s smile was somber. “I’ll do anything for you, guild hunter.”  
***  
Elena landed just outside Ransom and Nyree’s home. The drive by was already packed with guild vehicles. A bike stopped behind her, Ashwini and Janvier climbed down from it. Ashwini took off her helmet. 

“Why don’t they teach us to pick baby shower gifts in the academy? This is some difficult shit!”

Elena laughed and hugged her. Her fellow hunter was not very domestic to say the least but she did have some premonition powers. 

“You’re telling me you didn’t know what to get Nyree?”

Ash lowered her voice to a conspiratory whisper. “Of course, I knew! But Janvier didn’t…and it was so fun to see him lose it over a gift for a baby!” They shared a chuckle as Janvier walked over. Ash quietly mouthed don’t tell him.

They walked in through the doors and headed to the back yard for the celebrations. Elena stepped on the grass; her wings tightly held to her back. Her eyes fell upon a face she hadn’t seen in years. 

Dave Richards. Data analyst at the guild, tight collared law-abiding citizen, grade A douchebag and Elena’s Ex-Boyfriend.  
***  
8 years ago.

Elena had just joined the Guild academy. Her confidence and life both were in shambles. Jeffrey had kicked her out of his house and his life years ago. She had found comfort and some kind of solace in Sara’s friendship. But there was still a long way to go before she’d be comfortable in her own skin. The doubts about her life choices and the lack of happiness crept up in her mind from time to time leaving her fumbling for some sense of home.

That’s when she had met Dave. He had joined the academy as well. Not to hone his hunter skills, because he didn’t have any, but for the sole reason that it would look good on his resume. It also helped that his father was the head of research for the Guild and was good friends with the current Guild Director. He was charming, popular, funny in a slightly mean way, and he showed interest in her. So, she went on a date with him. Then two. Then again. And somehow, they had ended up being a couple. It wasn’t perfect. But it was something. 

He took her out for dinner dates, but never let her pay. “C’mon, sweetheart! We don’t want to put a strain on that wallet of yours. Its light to begin with.” Then he’d laugh. She didn’t find it funny, but she laughed along because maybe he was just looking out for her.  
He would take her for shopping when she had off days from the training. She did find it odd that he would push her to try the flowy flowery dresses when she just wanted some t-shirts that would fit and pants that would be durable for the training exercises. She had ended up buying a couple of dresses he liked. She told herself it would be useful in a couple weeks when his birthday was coming up.

Sara often told her, Dave was not good enough for her. She knew it too deep down. But she desperately craved the feeling of normalcy she got when she was with him. Couples fight, disagree and make up. That was normal right? 

But she had to take a stand when Dave started pushing for her to dye her white hair.   
“It makes you look like a fucking ghost! I can’t even take you to hang out with my friends because they tease me about my ghost haired girlfriend!!”  
She didn’t dye her hair. But she decided to put it in a fancy hairdo for his birthday.   
She had wore the dress he had wanted her to buy for his birthday party and waited in her dorm.

Dave had other plans though. “I’m breaking up with you.” 

At the time, it had been a heartbreaking blow for her. Looking back at it now, it was the best thing to have happened. But doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt like a bitch what he had said after.

“You’re just…too much! Look at you in that dress. You think it makes you look sexy? All I can see are those bloody scars on your arms and neck. You literally have a bruise on your neck.” 

“Because I had to spar with Ransom today. I’m training to become a hunter Dave! What do you expect me to look like?”

“Anything but that…?” He said waving his hands at her body. “You don’t even look like a girl I can bring with me to my party. With that ghost hair, and that muscly body. All you care about is your dumb knives and that training. You don’t even know how to use a mascara. You don’t even take any efforts to look good for me.”  
She had been shocked but not disappointed. She had always seen his shallowness, but chose to ignore it.

“You know, you can go around town hunting vampires and waving around your dumb crossbow but you’ll never get anywhere with that.” He had looked at her with a disgusting gaze. “Yeah and you know what I think? The closest to a successful normal life you’ll get to is if you ever see a low-level angel in person. Because you’re not getting a human boyfriend or husband with that attitude of yours you carry around. So, unless you decide to sleep with what you hunt, you’re never getting anywhere with a life for yourself.”  
She had been too shocked to say something clever or witty to Dave that night. 

Eventually they had drifted apart due to their drastically different life choices.   
And Elena had grown to love everything he hated about herself. She had grown to love her body and embrace her unique brand of femininity. She had become the best hunter in the Guild and fallen in love with the most powerful man. Her Archangel loved everything about her. Even the faults she had, and he particularly loved to trace her scars late in the night.  
***  
Now, Elena looked at Dave talking to another guild hunter, a soft drink in hand and felt nothing. Not even the contempt she had believed she had for him. She didn’t even feel like stabbing him, like she so often had dreamt after their breakup. And she didn’t want to talk to him either. This was Ransom, Nyree and their little girl’s day. They were her friends and they deserved her full attention. With that in mind, she made a beeline towards where Nyree was chatting with Sara.

It was after about 20 mins, Elena turned to go find Ash when she came face to face with Dave.

He looked as pale as a sheet.   
“Hi Elena.”

Yeah, why the hell not. She has wings now.  
“Hello Dave. Long time.”

He chuckled, or attempted to. “Yeah long time. You’ve grown wings since then.” He tried to laugh but it didn’t come out as well as he probably thought in his mind.

“Oh yes. And yet somehow you’re still the same…” She trailed off leaving him to fill the blanks.

He offered her the soft drink glass he was holding and she took it. 

“You’ve clearly changed a lot.” He said waving a hand at her wings. “I mean look at that. All pretty and beautiful!”

Once, his compliment would have made her gush. Now it just ended up reminding how shallow his mind is and how he sees women. For guys like Dave, women don’t have value if they are not pretty and can’t apply mascara.

“Yeah, and I’m also carrying 10 knives on me. Wanna see one?” At his wide eyes she added. “It’s ornately designed!”

“Uh No. No thanks.” 

She went to say something when the shadow of wings moved over the yard. She looked up to spot the beautiful white gold wings that can bring her on her knees. Raphael did a sweep along the wide neighborhood and landed on the edge of the yard. 

Elena’s face broke into a wide smile and she muttered “Show off!”

She was so caught up in her Archangel and his obvious show off entrance that she had forgotten Dave was still standing in front of her. His face had paled even further and his mouth was agape. He had a tell-tale Angel stuck expression on his face and it kept intensifying with every step Raphael took in her direction.

Her Archangel walked towards her in slow steps, nodding to Sara and Janvier on his way. He reached her and stood beside her, their wings touching.   
“You came.”

Fresh rain and ocean in her mind. I told you, anything for you hunter mine.

His acknowledgement of her Hunter side stirred deeper in her heart today after seeing Dave. 

She turned to Dave, who was staring at Raphael in awe and decided why not to have some fun. 

“Raphael, this is my old friend Dave.”

Raphael spared a glance at him who all but melted into a puddle at the archangel’s feet.   
He’s the man who hurt you long ago Elena? Let me incinerate him out of his puny existence.   
Raphael offered in her mind.

She struggled not to laugh. Let him go. He’s not worth the 2 seconds it’ll take you to wipe him off. 

When Raphael didn’t look convinced, she held his hand. I’m happy with you and my life, Archangel! But my handsome prince, I wouldn’t have gotten here if not for frogs like Dave.  
Raphael pretended not to get the reference and said out loud. 

“Let’s go congratulate your friends Consort.”

Elena nodded and said to Dave, “See you later.”  
“Yuh huh.” He nodded vigorously.

Elena and Raphael headed towards Ransom and Nyree, but not before Raphael spared a look at the man who wasn’t even worth the dirt his guild hunter walked on. The look had the intensity that could incinerate armies. Dave won’t be seeing Elena later. He won’t be seeing Elena ever. Not even by accident.

Dave had pointedly avoided Elena all these years after all. She was not just Elena. She was the hunter who had tracked down one Archangel and was mated to another. Elena was still too much. For him, and his fragile ego. But now more than ever, for his shattered pride. Elena had a life no one can even dream of. Whereas, Dave punched numbers for a living.

Elena and Raphael congratulated Ransom and Nyree. Nyree was the one who adored the glasses engraved crossbow and Ransom couldn’t shut up about the onesies. Raphael stayed for a few more minutes to talk to the guild director and to appreciate the newest weapon Deacon had made for Elena. After that, he took his leave in a show of flaring white gold wings.

I’ll see you in our home Archangel. Elena whispered to him as he rose up in the New York sky.

I’ll be waiting for you Habibti. He whispered back.

Maybe Elena wasn’t what most people wanted her to be. Maybe she wasn’t a perfect lady who’d be chosen by typical Men. But she was the best at what she was. And she was right where she ever needed to be.

With her Archangel. In her city. In her Home.


End file.
